Loose-leaf binder



Oct. 28, 1941. E. J. BLOORE LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Filed June 21, 1940 CHE-E. 14 15 17161z1 Patented Oct. 28, 1941LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Ernest J. Bloore, Brampton, Ontario, Canada,

assignor to Copeland Chatterson 'LimitetL' Brampton; Ontario, CanadaApplication June 21,1940, SerialNo. 341, 43

In Canada June 28, 1939 1 8 Claims. (Cl. 129-17) This invention relatesto loose-leaf binders of the type in which co-operative sets of curvedprongs-are respectively mounted on hinged back sections, one set ofprongs being displaceable relative to the other set for leaf-shiftingpur-,- poses, and the principal object of the present invention is toprovide an improved form of adjustable mounting for one set of prongswhich will provide an extended range of shift within accuratelypredetermined limits and to devise a simple form of control mechanismfor this purpose which may be easily manipulated.

The principal feature of the invention resides in'the' novel manner ofmounting one set of curved prongs on a member which is slidably;

mounted on the respective back section and in the provision of amanually controllable latch means having staged positions of adjustmentwhich controls the range of sliding adjustmentv the'hinged back sectionsillustrating the adjustable mounting of the one'set of prongs and thecontrolling latch mechanism associated therewith and arranged in thenormal position.

' Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the latchmechanism-moved to a first position of adjustment with the adjustableset of prongs moved longitudinally to the limit permitted by theadjusted positionofthe latch mechanism.

Figure'4 is a side elevational view of one of the back sections brokenaway in part showing the latch mechanism in normal position.

Figure 5-is'a fragmentary plan view taken in the hinge region of thebinder illustrating in full lines the normal relation of the respectivesets of prongs and showing in broken lines two optional positions ofadjustment of'the adjustableset of prongs.

- Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of one of theback sectionsillustrating a modified form of locking means for the adjustable latchmechanism.

In binders of this type it has previously been proposed to so hinge therespective back sections of the binder'that' these sections were capableof relative longitudinal displacement in orderthat the respective setsof prongs, which were rigidly mounted on their respective back sections,could be offset sufficient to effect the shifting of'the leaves. I i

The; present invention has been devised to eliminate the necessity ofproviding a loose hinge connection and to obviate the necessity forrelative shifting of the respective back sections and covers and to notonly provide a more extensive range of adjustment but to ensure theaccurate relative positioning of the sets of prongs in any of aplurality of adjusted positions.

Referring to the illustrated form of the present invention, the backsections 1 and 2 are hinged together at 3 in such a mannerthat therespective sections are retained against relative axial slidingdisplacement.

, One set of prongs 4 are rigidly secured to a flat metal bar 5 which inturn is slidably mounted on the back section I within the limits per-'mitted by the slots 6 and pins 'L- Strips of spring metal 8 arepreferably inserted between the bar 5 and back [as a frictionalretaining means or to take up any-looseness. 1

Mounted on the bar 5 and adjustable therewith is 'a'stopmembertpresenting a series of steppedstop-abutments "L H and I2, and the outer;end of the member Sis turned laterally and provided with a co-operativeseries of notches lll'fll', and I2 which are disposed in ment andterminates in a thumb piece I5 con-' veniently accessible at the end ofthe back section beyond the member 9. The member [3 carries a stopprojection l6 which is adapted to se.

lectively-engage the stop abutments II), II and I2 in accordance withthe position to which the arm l3 has been adjusted by the thumb pieceIS.

The outer end of the 'arm' l3 adjacent the thumb piece I5 is adapted tobe selectively positioned in either of the notches III, II and I2 whichin turn determines the relation of the stopabutment IE to the stopabutments [0, II and I2 respectively. 1

,Thus in the position shown in Figure 2, the arml3 being in the notchIll, the stop abutment l6' will co-operate with the stop I0 to lock thebar B-and consequently the set of prongs 4 in their normal positionwith'the pins 1 engaging one end of the slots 6 so that longitudinaldisplacement of the prongs is thus positively prevented in eitherdirection.

By simply placing the arm I3 in engagement with the next adjacent notchII the stop abutment It will be moved out of line of the stop I and willbe positioned for stop engagement with the stop II so that the bar maybe moved longitudinally by the thumb piece 5' until stops II and I6engage. This effects the shift displacement of the set of prongs 4relative to the cooperative set of prongs 4' rigidly mounted on the backsection 2.

If a further range of shifting is desired the arm I3 is disengaged fromthe notch II and placed in the notch I2 which brings the stop I6 intoco-operative relation with the stop I2, permitting a further definitedisplacement of the bar 5 and prongs 4 and arresting these in accuratepredetermined relation to the prongs 4'.

In order to retain the latch arm I3 in the various notches III, II or I2a bowed spring member I1 is flexibly anchored at I4 and engages the armI3 in resilient pressure contact and is adapted to swing with the arm I3about the mounting I4.

Referring to the showing in Figure 5 the various positions to which theset of prongs 4 may be adjusted in relation to the set of prongs 4 isclearly shown and these positions may be briefly identified in relationto the latch mechanism as follows.

With the notch I0 engaged by the arm I3 and stop abutments III and I6 inengagement the prongs 4 will be locked in the normal full line positionshown in Figure 5. With the arm I3 engaged in notch II' and stopabutments II and I6 engaging, the set of prongs 4 will be arrested inthe first dotted line position shown at a representing a range of shiftadjustment corresponding to the distance between two adjacentperforations I8 of the leaves I9.

If a shift equal to the distance between three perforations I8 isdesired this is achieved by placing the arm I3 in the notch I2 whichbrings the stop It into co-operative relation with the stop I2 toprovide a further definite distance of shift of the bar 5 and prongs 4.

With the prongs 4 in either of the positions a or b it may be desirableto definitely lock the bar 5 against return sliding movement until thedesiredtransfer is made, and this may be accomplished in any suitablemanner, and as an example I have shown in the modification of Figure 6the provision of locking notches II" and I2" which are adapted toco-operate with the bottom of the notches I I and I2 respectively sothat in either position in conjunction with the respective stopabutments II, I2 and I6 the bar 5may be positively locked againstshifting from the position to which it is temporarily adjusted.

The operating parts of the latch mechanism are preferably enclosedwithin a metal housing 20, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Any suitable form of means may be provided for releasably retaining thehinged back section in relatively adjusted angular relation or in lockedposition, and a suitable means for this purpose is indicated at 2I and22 which forms no part of the present invention, but which may bebriefly referred to as comprising toothed interengageable members, themember 2| being rigid with the back section I while the member 22 ismounted for sliding displacement to effect engagement or disengagementwith the member 2I under the control of the release member 23.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A loose leaf binder having in combination,

binder back sections connected for relative swinging displacement only,a group of prongs mounted on one back section, a bar slidably mounted onthe other back section, a group of prongs mounted on said slidable bar,a series of stop abutments carried by said slidably mounted bar andoffset from each other transversely of the direction of slidingdisplacement of said bar, a stop abutment displaceably mounted on saidrespective back section for selective co-operation with said series ofstop abutments, and means for selectively positioning said displaceablestop abutment in a direction transversely of the direction of slidingdisplacement of said bar to limit said sliding displacement.

2. A loose leaf binder having in combination. binder back sectionsconnected for relative swinging displacement only, a group of prongsmounted on one back section, a bar slidably mounted on the other backsection, a group of prongs mounted on said slidable bar, a series ofstop abutments carried by said slidably mounted bar, a stop abutmentdisplaceably mounted on said respective back section for selectivecooperation with said series of stop abutments, means for selectivelypositioning said displaceable stop abutment to limit the slidingdisplacement of said bar, the latter means including a lever-like memberon which the displaceable stop abutment is mounted, and means presentinga plurality of notches for selective locking engagement with the lever.

3. A loose leaf binder as claimed in claim 2 in which said lever-likemember is provided with looking notches for secondary locking engagementwith said last-mentioned notched means.

4. A loose leaf binder as claimed in claim 2 in which said series ofstop abutments is disposed in stepped progression spaced longitudinallyof the slidable bar and said notches are spaced in the direction inwhich said abutments are stepped.

5. A loose leaf binder as claimed in claim 2 in which said lever ismounted for both rocking and pivotal adjustment and the same isresiliently urged to engage the notches.

6. In a loose leaf binder having binder back sections connected forrelative swinging displacement only, and permanent sets of prongs, oneset being rigidly mounted on one back section and the other beingslidably mounted on the other back section, adjustable latch meansinterposed between the adjustable set of prongs and the respective backsection for arresting said latter set of prongs in predeterminedadjusted relations to the other set of prongs, means cooperativelyassociated with said latch means for positively locking said slidablymounted set of prongs in each adjusted position against slidingdisplacement in either direction irrespective of the amount of pressureapplied thereto in either shift direction, said adjustable latch meansincluding a series of stop abutments spaced in the direction of shiftand offset from each other in a transverse plane, a stop abutmentadjustable transversely in said plane for selective co-operation withsaid series of stop abutments, and means for selectively positioningsaid adjustable stop abutment in said transverse plane to arrest saidadjustable set of prongs in definite relation to the other set ofprongs.

'7. In a loose leaf binder having binder back sections connected forrelative swinging displacement only, and permanent sets of prongs, oneset being rigidly mounted on one back section and the other beingslidably mounted on the other back section, adjustable means forpositively arresting said latter set of prongs in a plurality ofadjusted positions relative to the fixed set of prongs on the othersection, including a stop member adjustable transversely of thedirection of sliding displacement of the one set of prongs to aplurality of difierent stop positions, and stop means associated withsaid slidable set of prongs selectively engageable with 10

